wessex tales-第13章

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little　man；　the　third　stranger；　but　his　trepidation　had　in　a　great
measure　gone。

'Well；　travellers；'　he　said；　'did　I　hear　ye　speak　to　me？'

'You　did：　　you've　got　to　come　and　be　our　prisoner　at　once！'　said　the
constable。　　'We　arrest　'ee　on　the　charge　of　not　biding　in
Casterbridge　jail　in　a　decent　proper　manner　to　be　hung　to…morrow
morning。　　Neighbours；　do　your　duty；　and　seize　the　culpet！'

On　hearing　the　charge；　the　man　seemed　enlightened；　and；　saying　not
another　word；　resigned　himself　with　preternatural　civility　to　the
search…party；　who；　with　their　staves　in　their　hands；　surrounded　him
on　all　sides；　and　marched　him　back　towards　the　shepherd's　cottage。

It　was　eleven　o'clock　by　the　time　they　arrived。　　The　light　shining
from　the　open　door；　a　sound　of　men's　voices　within；　proclaimed　to
them　as　they　approached　the　house　that　some　new　events　had　arisen　in
their　absence。　　On　entering　they　discovered　the　shepherd's　living
room　to　be　invaded　by　two　officers　from　Casterbridge　jail；　and　a
well…known　magistrate　who　lived　at　the　nearest　country…seat；
intelligence　of　the　escape　having　become　generally　circulated。

'Gentlemen；'　said　the　constable；　'I　have　brought　back　your　mannot
without　risk　and　danger；　but　every　one　must　do　his　duty！　　He　is
inside　this　circle　of　able…bodied　persons；　who　have　lent　me　useful
aid；　considering　their　ignorance　of　Crown　work。　　Men；　bring　forward
your　prisoner！'　　And　the　third　stranger　was　led　to　the　light。

'Who　is　this？'　said　one　of　the　officials。

'The　man；'　said　the　constable。

'Certainly　not；'　said　the　turnkey；　and　the　first　corroborated　his
statement。

'But　how　can　it　be　otherwise？'　asked　the　constable。　　'Or　why　was　he
so　terrified　at　sight　o'　the　singing　instrument　of　the　law　who　sat
there？'　　Here　he　related　the　strange　behaviour　of　the　third　stranger
on　entering　the　house　during　the　hangman's　song。

'Can't　understand　it；'　said　the　officer　coolly。　　'All　I　know　is　that
it　is　not　the　condemned　man。　　He's　quite　a　different　character　from
this　one；　a　gauntish　fellow；　with　dark　hair　and　eyes；　rather　good…
looking；　and　with　a　musical　bass　voice　that　if　you　heard　it　once
you'd　never　mistake　as　long　as　you　lived。'

'Why；　souls'twas　the　man　in　the　chimney…corner！'

'Heywhat？'　said　the　magistrate；　coming　forward　after　inquiring
particulars　from　the　shepherd　in　the　background。　　'Haven't　you　got
the　man　after　all？'

'Well；　sir；'　said　the　constable；　'he's　the　man　we　were　in　search　of；
that's　true；　and　yet　he's　not　the　man　we　were　in　search　of。　　For　the
man　we　were　in　search　of　was　not　the　man　we　wanted；　sir；　if　you
understand　my　every…day　way；　for　'twas　the　man　in　the　chimney…
corner！'

'A　pretty　kettle　of　fish　altogether！'　said　the　magistrate。　　'You　had
better　start　for　the　other　man　at　once。'

The　prisoner　now　spoke　for　the　first　time。　　The　mention　of　the　man
in　the　chimney…corner　seemed　to　have　moved　him　as　nothing　else　could
do。　　'Sir；'　he　said；　stepping　forward　to　the　magistrate；　'take　no
more　trouble　about　me。　　The　time　is　come　when　I　may　as　well　speak。
I　have　done　nothing；　my　crime　is　that　the　condemned　man　is　my
brother。　　Early　this　afternoon　I　left　home　at　Shottsford　to　tramp　it
all　the　way　to　Casterbridge　jail　to　bid　him　farewell。　　I　was
benighted；　and　called　here　to　rest　and　ask　the　way。　　When　I　opened
the　door　I　saw　before　me　the　very　man；　my　brother；　that　I　thought　to
see　in　the　condemned　cell　at　Casterbridge。　　He　was　in　this　chimney…
corner；　and　jammed　close　to　him；　so　that　he　could　not　have　got　out
if　he　had　tried；　was　the　executioner　who'd　come　to　take　his　life；
singing　a　song　about　it　and　not　knowing　that　it　was　his　victim　who
was　close　by；　joining　in　to　save　appearances。　　My　brother　looked　a
glance　of　agony　at　me；　and　I　knew　he　meant；　〃Don't　reveal　what　you
see；　my　life　depends　on　it。〃　　I　was　so　terror…struck　that　I　could
hardly　stand；　and；　not　knowing　what　I　did；　I　turned　and　hurried
away。'

The　narrator's　manner　and　tone　had　the　stamp　of　truth；　and　his　story
made　a　great　impression　on　all　around。　　'And　do　you　know　where　your
brother　is　at　the　present　time？'　asked　the　magistrate。

'I　do　not。　　I　have　never　seen　him　since　I　closed　this　door。'

'I　can　testify　to　that；　for　we've　been　between　ye　ever　since；'　said
the　constable。

'Where　does　he　think　to　fly　to？what　is　his　occupation？'

'He's　a　watch…and…clock…maker；　sir。'

''A　said　'a　was　a　wheelwrighta　wicked　rogue；'　said　the　constable。

'The　wheels　of　clocks　and　watches　he　meant；　no　doubt；'　said　Shepherd
Fennel。　　'I　thought　his　hands　were　palish　for's　trade。'

'Well；　it　appears　to　me　that　nothing　can　be　gained　by　retaining　this
poor　man　in　custody；'　said　the　magistrate；　'your　business　lies　with
the　other；　unquestionably。'

And　so　the　little　man　was　released　off…hand；　but　he　looked　nothing
the　less　sad　on　that　account；　it　being　beyond　the　power　of
magistrate　or　constable　to　raze　out　the　written　troubles　in　his
brain；　for　they　concerned　another　whom　he　regarded　with　more
solicitude　than　himself。　　When　this　was　done；　and　the　man　had　gone
his　way；　the　night　was　found　to　be　so　far　advanced　that　it　was
deemed　useless　to　renew　the　search　before　the　next　morning。

Next　day；　accordingly；　the　quest　for　the　clever　sheep…stealer　became
general　and　keen；　to　all　appearance　at　least。　　But　the　intended
punishment　was　cruelly　disproportioned　to　the　transgression；　and　the
sympathy　of　a　great　many　country…folk　in　that　district　was　strongly
on　the　side　of　the　fugitive。　　Moreover；　his　marvellous　coolness　and
daring　in　hob…and…nobbing　with　the　hangman；　under　the　unprecedented
circumstances　of　the　shepherd's　party；　won　their　admiration。　　So
that　it　may　be　questioned　if　all　those　who　ostensibly　made
themselves　so　busy　in　exploring　woods　and　fields　and　lanes　were
quite　so　thorough　when　it　came　to　the　private　examination　of　their
own　lofts　and　outhouses。　　Stories　were　afloat　of　a　mysterious　figure
being　occasionally　seen　in　some　old　overgrown　trackway　or　other；
remote　from　turnpike　roads；　but　when　a　search　was　instituted　in　any
of　these　suspected　quarters　nobody　was　found。　　Thus　the　days　and
weeks　passed　without　tidings。

In　brief；　the　bass…voiced　man　of　the　chimney…corner　was　never
recaptured。　　Some　said　that　he　went　across　the　sea；　others　that　he
did　not；　but　buried　himself　in　the　depths　of　a　populous　city。　　At
any　rate；　the　gentleman　in　cinder…gray　never　did　his　morning's　work
at　Casterbridge；　nor　met　anywhere　at　all；　for　business　purposes；　the
genial　comrade　with　whom　he　had　passed　an　hour　of　relaxation　in　the
lonely　house　on　the　coomb。

The　grass　has　long　been　green　on　the　graves　of　Shepherd　Fennel　and
his　frugal　wife；　the　guests　who　made　up　the　christening　party　have
mainly　followed　their　entertainers　to　the　tomb；　the　baby　in　whose
honour　they　all　had　met　is　a　matron　in　the　sere　and　yellow　leaf。
But　the　arrival　of　the　three　strangers　at　the　shepherd's　that　night；
and　the　details　connected　therewith；　is　a　story　as　well　known　as
ever　in　the　country　about　Higher　Crowstairs。

March　1883。




THE　WITHERED　ARM




CHAPTER　IA　LORN　MILKMAID



It　was　an　eighty…cow　dairy；　and　the　troop　of　milkers；　regular　and
supernumerary；　were　all　at　work；　for；　though　the　time　of　year　was　as
yet　but　early　April；　the　feed　lay　entirely　in　water…meadows；　and　the
cows　were　'in　full　pail。'　　The　hour　was　about　six　in　the　evening；
and　three…fourths　of　the　large；　red；　rectangular　animals　having　been
finished　off；　there　was　opportunity　for　a　little　conversation。

'He　do　bring　home　his　bride　to…morrow；　I　hear。　　They've　come　as　far
as　Anglebury　to…day。'

The　voice　seemed　to　proceed　from　the　belly　of　the　cow　called　Cherry；
but　the　speaker　was　a　milking…woman；　whose　face　was　buried　in　the
flank　of　that　motionless　beast。

'Hav'　anybody　seen　her？'　said　another。

There　was　a　negative　response　from　the　first。　　'Though　they　say
she's　a　rosy…cheeked；　tisty…tosty　little　body　enough；'　she　added；
and　as　the　milkmaid　spoke　she　turned　her　face　so　that　she　could
glance　past　her　cow's　tail　to　the　other　side　of　the　barton；　where　a
thin；　fading　woman　of　thirty　milked　somewhat　apart　from　the　rest。

'Years　younger　than　he；　they　say；'　continued　the　second；　w